July 11, 2013

Florida's Kangaroo Court Further Tightens Noose Around George Zimmerman's Neck

In a last minute move, the Prosecution added manslaughter to the charges against George Zimmerman. They have also requested an additional third degree murder charge, which is basically an unintended murder while committing a felony. The felony? Aggravated child abuse.

In a surprise move this morning, the prosecution asked the Judge to drop the Aggravated Assault charge and to instruct the jury on Third Degree Murder, which is murder in the course of committing a felony.

The felony the State wanted as the predicate was Aggravated Child Abuse (Jury Instruction) because Trayvon Martin was 17 at the time of the shooting.

According to Don West, the defense was not notified until 7:30 a.m. this morning.

This surprise is important because the defense did not have time to research the law, while the State presented numerous cases. Generally it is not a defense to child abuse that the perpetrator did not know the age of the victim. This is an unusual circumstance, however, where Zimmerman was punched in the nose and the "child" was on top punching him -- to say that excessive use of force in defense of an attack by a "child" is child abuse certainly requires some time to research and argue.

The most frightening aspect of this case, imho, is that, there but for the grace of God, go I. Any one of us can be next. The Judge, the Prosecution, the State, even as high as the office of the Presidency, is complicit in this horrible miscarriage of justice, this modern lynching.

UPDATE:The judge has denied the third degree murder charge, which included the felony child abuse. Finally some reason and fairness from this judge!